Dear Friend,

Hello & welcome back to Firewire, your friendly guide to the exciting world of web-design & web-solutions!

This newsletter covers step by step practical guide to convert dull scanned photograph to very clear and natural looking Image. Dull Scanned photograph is provided along with steps to make it clear and natural, with the help of “learn by doing” technique you will be able to fine tune dull Images sent by client.

Click here to download the source (.psd) file.

1. Download and open image.psd in the Photoshop.

Steps to Sharpen the Image

2. Select Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.

3. The Unsharp Mask Window will appear.

4. Specify the values as Amount: 8% and Radius: 5.0 pixels; Click OK to continue.

Steps to Increase Intensity of the Image

5. Select Hue/Saturation: Click Image > Adjustments > Hue/Saturation

6. The "Hue/Saturation" Window will appear.

7. Specify the values as Hue: 8 and Saturation: 35; Click OK to continue.

Steps to Remove Black Cast from Image

8. Select Selective Color: Click Image > Adjustments > Selective Color

9. The "Selective Color" Window will appear.

10. Specify the values as Colors: Reds, Cyan: - 30%, Magenta : 5%, Yellow: 22%, Black: 0 and Method: Absolute

Note: Absolute method makes changes as per the basic colors of Image, hence it is recommended to specify method value as Absolute.

11. In the same “Selective Color” window choose Neutrals from the color drop down & specify the values as Cyan: - 3%, Magenta: - 4%, Yellow: - 4%, Black: - 2% and Method: Absolute.

Note:

a. Neutrals Colors gives fresh tone to the image.
b. Change the values of CMYK based on image tone.

12. Select Color Balance: Click Image > Adjustments > Color Balance

13. The Color Balance Window will appear.

14. Specify the values as Red: 21, Green: 6, Yellow: - 5, and Tone Balance: Highlights; Click Ok to continue

Note: Selection of these values helps to reduce dullness of the image.

Steps to highlight the color of Image

15. Select Curves: Click Image > Adjustments > Curves

16. The "Curves" Window will appear.

17. Adjust the curve line as shown in the image, Input: 51% & Output: 48%.

Steps to Remove Excess Red Cast

18. Select Color Balance: Click Image > Adjustments > Color Balance

19. The "Color Balance" Window will appear.

20. Specify the values as Red: 15, Green: 14, Yellow: 8 and Tone Balance: Highlights

21. In the same “Color Balance Window” choose Tone Balance as “Midtones” & specify the color balance values as Red: 8, Magenta: - 2 and Yellow: - 2

Note: Midtones shows the value between highlight and shadow portion of the image.

Steps to Increase Highlights of all Colors (RGB)

22. Select Levels: Click Image > Adjustments > Levels

23. The "Levels" Window will appear.

24. Choose : Set Gray Point (Bottom Right)

25. Move Middle and Last Slider to left.

26. Adjust the Input Levels as shown in the image .

Note: Level is used to remove gray cast and increase highlights in all color (RGB).